The house at the location of 9031 Elk Grove Boulevard was originally called the Dunbar house and has had several occupants over the years. It has become known as the Stafford house because a very prominent, colorful, and active Elk Grove Resident, Bob Stafford was owner for many years. Here is its story.
Long time Franklin resident Dennis Buscher and a member of the Elk Grove Historic Preservation Committee shares this record:
Elk Grove Citizen writer Lance Armstrong has written a book Echoes of Yesterday: History of Elk Grove, telling the stories of many old structures in Elk Grove. Chapter 33 of his book tells the history of the Stafford house and is in its entirety below:
Lance Armstrong’s award-winning book. “Echoes of Yesterday: Elk Grove,” is a history of Elk Grove from its founding in 1850 to the early 2000s. It features 374 pages of written history, with more than 1,500 photographs highlighting such places as the Elk Grove Regional Park, Elk Grove High School, Foulks Ranch, Mosher Ranch, J.M. Derr Lumber Co., Odd Fellows Building, Boulevard Theatre, Toronto Hotel, Bob Batey Chevrolet, Bob’s Bar, EG Food Mart, Pizza Barn, wineries, libraries, banks, cemeteries and Elk Grove’s airport and fire department. It’s available for purchase at $39.95 in our on-line museum store.
Or go online to www.EchoesofYesterday or send a personal check or money order (payable to Echoes of Yesterday) in the amount of $45.95 ($39.95, plus $6 shipping) to P.O. Box 189113, Sacramento, CA 95818.
Local Citizen Comments
Long time Elk Grove Resident, Jim Entrican who’s family owned a business just down the street and who lived across the Street on Walnut Avenue shares this old memory …
“Dunbar never owned the house and am not sure why the name is on records? When I was growing up on Walnut Avenue in the Springstead home, the Dunbar/Stanford home was rented by Charles and Phoebo Calinoff. The owner was Fred Mix. He was handling the estate of Earnesteen Springstead. Judge Mix rented the house to her for $34 a month. She passed away in 1958. The house was then possibly sold to the Stafford family. (?) Bun Smith married Earnesteen Springstead. Bun Smith was purchasing lots of homes in the 20’s and 30’s that became available. He also owned the brick building on Railroad Street that the city is converting.”
Florence Markofer said it was the Witt Family home when she was writing her article about the “Medical Men of Elk Grove.” She writes:
“In very early times expectant mothers depended on the service of a kindly neighbor. One quite famous lady was so skillful that she acted as a midwife as a profession and proudly declared that she “borned” hundreds. (I was one.) She was Granny Witt. It was her custom to come to assist at the birth and remain to care for mother and child and household until the mother could take over. There were likely others, but Granny Witt is the best known. Her home on Main Street has been renovated and remodeled and is now the home of the Dinkins family. (Note: There was a Dixie Ann Witt, b. March 21, 1863, d. February 24, 1945 in Elk Grove – Granny? – She did have sisters Dora Lee and Mary Adelia, both living in Sacramento)“
